The reigning Open and US PGA champion was making up the numbers in 48th place after following an opening 71 on the easier North course with a pair of two-over par 74s on the South.

But he saved the best for last and will be hoping for even better when he continues his countdown to the Masters at Pebble Beach this week.

Speaking after his closing 68, Harrington said: "I am glad I came. Obviously I didn't play as well as I wanted to. I suppose I needed to go through a week like this to see where things were at. I have a good idea what I need to do going forward. I hit some good shots today and some bad one as well.

"Today was the first day of the four days that I wasn't fighting my swing. The first three days every shot I was hitting I was fighting a hook. It was a lot better today and I am quite positive going forward."

Starting on the back nine at the South Course, Harrington struggled off the tee early on but still scorched to the turn in four-under par 32 thanks to birdies at the 10th and 13th and a spectacular eagle three at the 570-yard 18th.

Bringing back memories of his incredible eagle on the 71st hole at Royal Birkdale, the world No 3 split the fairway with a three-wood and then hit a five-wood to 20 feet and drained the tricky downhill putt.

Opting to leave his driver in the bag, Harrington saved par from greenside sand at the second and fourth before dropping his only shot of the day at the 560-yard sixth, where he was bunkered off the tee and then three-putted from the front edge.

A birdie at the 614-yard ninth, where he hit two fairway woods and then wedged to four feet, allowed him the finish his first PGA Tour start of the season in red figures on one-under par.

But it as a disappointing final day for overnight leader Rollins, who could only look on in despair as the unheralded Watney birdied the last to steal the tournament from under his nose.

Both went into the 72nd hole tied on ten-under-par, but Rollins bunkered his approach and failed with a 12 footer for birdie after Sacramento native Watney had left his long range eagle putt from the back of the green just three and a half feet away.

Rollins had started the day three shots clear of the field but was unable to hold his nerve down the stretch and finished with an untidy two-over-par 74 to finish a stroke behind in second place

First round leader Camilo Villegas closed with a level par 72 to share third place with American Lucas Glover on nine-under par.

Harrington began his season in Abu Dhabi four weeks ago, finishing tied for fifth behind Paul Casey.

Struggling with his swing before he arrived in the United States, he underwent minor surgery to remove two sun spots around his right eye two weeks ago and will be hoping for an improvement in his game when he tees it up alongside JP McManus in this week's AT&T National Pro-AM at Pebble Beach.

Harrington's star power in question

Padraig Harrington might be the last year's PGA Tour Player of the Year and the winner of three of the last six Majors, yet he's not even close to being regarded a crowd-puller by the organisers of this week's Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines.

Harrington storms two clear in Akron

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The real Padraig Harrington is finally back.

Just when it looked as though he was about to slink off to the range to work himself out of a slump that has seen him miss eight cuts from 16 strokeplay starts this season and slip from third to 17th in the world, the Dubliner raced two strokes clear of the field when he opened with a sensational, six-under par 64 in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Harrington ready for Firestone battle with Woods

Padraig Harrington’s not afraid of Tiger Woods but he knows he’s in for one hell of a battle when they duel it out for the WGC-Bridgetone Invitational at Firestone on Sunday.

Head to headIreland’s triple major champion shot a three under 67 on a showery day to lead by three shots from Woods on 10 under par and remain on track to create two new milestones in his career - his first wire-to- wire PGA Tour win and his maiden World Golf Championship to boot just days before his US PGA defence.

“I realise I'm going to have a difficult day, that's for sure,” Harrington said. “You know, this golf course has obviously been very good for Tiger (six wins from 10 appearances). He's played well on it in the past and done well, so I don't think anything is going to be easy tomorrow. Probably at best it's going to be a long, hard day and a battle. That's what I'm going to prepare myself for.”

Harrington water torture as Woods wins seventh Bridgestone

Grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre. Padraig Harrington caressed an historic victory in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last night only to see the title slip sickeningly from his grasp and into a watery grave at Firestone Country Club in the wake of a slow play controversy.

Two behind with eight to play after seeing his three shot lead evaporate in the face of an incredible Tiger Woods charge on the front nine, the resurgent Dubliner found himself one in front with just three to go.

He birdied the 11th to close to within one, levelled when Woods bogeyed the 13th and then nosed in front when he saved par at the 14th after Woods bogeyed again.

The dream was on but it all ended with a horrendous triple bogey eight on the 667-yard, par-five 16th and a bizarre time ruling that saw him card a two over par 72 to a five under par 65 for Woods.

The game's top player twisted the knife when he birdied the last for a four stroke win on 12 under par from Harrington and Robert Allenby, securing his 70th PGA Tour win and his 16th WGC victory from 30 starts.